Reader Mail: Venezuelan Prez Wears Tacky Tracksuits

Us against them: Uncle Luke is right to slam Miami-Dade Commissioner Javier Souto for giving Cubans too much credit for building the Magic City ("Last Gasp," Luther Campbell, February 27). Souto is part of the old guard, old politics, old thinking, and old reasoning. I am Cuban, and although I have never lived in Miami, there is no question that ethnic rivalries have benefited politicians more than the people.

Arguing that it's "us against them" is the oldest trick when it comes to the politics of ethnic affinities. I can read it between the lines in the editorials of La Opinión, for example, when they talk about Marco Rubio. He may be Hispanic, but he is not "really" the kind of Hispanic they speak of in California. This is what the press and political elites do for political expediency. It is insulting and condescending. phhfund

Took the bait: Where are you getting some of your facts, Uncle Luke? I fail to see many Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, or other Hispanics besides Cubans running for office in Miami. If your ancestors were here for so long, why didn't Miami become a booming city until after the Cuban migration of the 1960s? Is that just coincidence? I am not Cuban, but I call them as I see them.

Miami was a one-horse town prior to the 1960s. What did anyone do to grow it into a metropolis? You are just upset that your ancestors never saw the potential in the place they lived for so long or didn't have the smarts or drive to do anything about it. You are a smart cookie, though — I'll give you that. I've read only a few of your articles because I usually can't get past the first paragraph. You just write something you know is controversial to get a rise out of people in order to get them to comment and show this small newspaper that you are still relevant. Yes, I bit on this one, but only because I had a few minutes to spare you. MiamiFishing

Is theHeraldhiring?: Amen. Luke, maybe you should write editorials for the Miami Herald. I'm tired of reading the old and stale Cuban politics in that newspaper. Prometheus

Texas Cubans speak: Cubans made Miami what it is, good or bad. I'm a third-generation Miami native, but it just wasn't the same. Everyone blames "the Cubans" for everything, so really who can blame them for taking credit for the good stuff too? (And there is plenty of good stuff in Miami.) That's how life is. New people come in to a city, and things change. You need to move or get over it. The weird thing is that I have more Cuban friends here in Texas than I ever had in Miami. And I speak better Spanish than most of my Mexican friends. Thank you, Miami Cubans! ghostwriter305

The coffee is good: Can we all agree to say, "Thank you, dear cubanos, for the café con leche"? Ay carajo, stop whining already. fratdawgg23

History don't lie: Hey, Luke, I do agree with most of the stuff you wrote in this column about Cuban politicians, but I must add that before the 1960s influx from Havana, Miami was a retirement home for old people. Miami was as boring as any town from North Florida before that migration. 1Cuban

Venezuelan Uprising

Those tracksuits are terrible: Pepe Billete is right that Cubans and Venezuelans should unite in Miami ("Latino Unity," Pepe Billete, February 27), but I would argue that the Cuban flag represents the people both on the island and in exile, not the tyrannical government of Fidel Castro.

At this point, you can argue that a similar level of government oppression can be attributed to the symbolism of the Venezuelan flag, because the same thing that happened in Cuba decades ago is slowly happening to our Venezuelan brothers and sisters. Throughout Miami, there have been beautiful displays of Venezuelan patriotism — flags on cars, signs, ball caps, and houses — that I do not associate in any form with Chávez or Maduro and their takeover of Venezuela (even though they've both worn those unfortunate flag-themed tracksuits).

Flags belong to the people, not to the Castros, not to Maduro. Many years after these dictators are gone, these symbols of our heritage will still represent us all; they should not be desecrated. Sobrino

Freedom fighter:Hermano, I could not agree with you more! I see these images from Caracas and think of Cuba in the late '50s. I was not offended at all by protesters burning the Cuban flag. The only thing that flag represents to them is Fidel, who got Venezuela where it is today. Cuban Special Forces have infiltrated and are killing protesters. I would grab my rifle and go to Caracas today if our Venezuelan primos were willing to go and fight for freedom! Tony Prieto

Don't forget Maduro supporters: Shouldn't the headline of this column be "Venezue­lans of a Certain Ideology Should Get Support From Cubans of the Same Idealogy"? There's a whole half of the country or more that is down with President Nicolas Maduro. Are they not Venezue­lans too? Whether I personally agree with them or not? Edward Delatorre